If anyone knows how to throw a party, it’s DJ Jonathan Toubin. For over a decade the master of mixers has been on a crusade across the U.S. and around the globe with the sole intent of getting feet slippin’ and backbones dippin’ to his curated selections of classic soul and R+B 45’s. The latest stop on his New York Night Train and Soul Clap Dance Off found Toubin and company back in Brooklyn at Bushwick’s newest venue Elsewhere for a night of soul dancing, live sets from three of NYC’s finest local acts, and a rare performance by David Johansen – frontman of iconic 1970’s glam-punk band the New York Dolls.
Kicking off the festivities and live music portion of the evening was Beechwood, an angsty trio consisting of guitar, bass, and drums who delivered a frenetic mix of garage and punk oozing with boyish lyrics and a self-deprecating attitude. Drummer and guitarist would swap places and vocal duties midway into their half-hour set, slowing down the pace briefly with a pair of melodic bubblegum tunes in a similar vein to Weezer before returning to their respectful stations.
Next it was Norton recording artists Daddy Long Legs turn to hit it, git it, and quit it. Coming in hot off an extensive tour of the UK, the psychobilly bluesmen swaggered about the stage sounding tighter and more confident than ever. After opening with their signature “Death Train Blues” and following with an arrangement of Link Wray’s “Ain’t That Loving You Baby”, the self-proclaimed masters of arcane blues secrets would go on to treat the rapturous crowd to a number of new originals, including the reverb drenched western noir of “Wrong Side of The River” and the relentless foot stomping rhythm of “Ding Dong Dang”- proving once more that Daddy Long Legs make some of the most compelling blues of their day.
The lovely ladies of Baby Shakes charmed the pants off the audience with their bubbly energy, matching bangs, and power pop-punk. “Turn It Up”, the title track of the group’s latest LP, was a standout number for its mix of scuzzy guitars, three part vocal harmonies, and an infectiously simplistic chorus. There are a lot of bands doing the Ramones thing these days, but Baby Shakes do it exceptionally well and with a feminine twist. By the time they were through, it would be safe to say most everyone was smitten.
With the crowd nearing capacity and buzzing with anticipation, the time had come for David Johansen to bless the room with an hour long set of New York Dolls standards, solo gems, and eclectic covers. The now sixty-eight year-old performer would not disappoint as he and his dapper band of professionals steamrolled through the Dolls’ “Lookin’ For A Kiss” early on. Aside from a little extra rasp to his voice, the vocals sounded strong as ever and the added grit certainly didn’t detract from these raunchy, streetwise rockers. Changing pace, Johansen dipped into his solo catalog for the dance number “Funky But Chic” that had asses shaking before shuffling in one of his favorite covers with Janis Joplin’s “Take Another Piece of My Heart”. “Lonely Planet Boy” was a nice surprise, however, the power ballad “Frenchette” may have been the highlight of the show with its gorgeous, cascading piano introduction and giant finish. A double-shot of New York Dolls classics – “Personality Crisis” and “Pills”- would close out the show in raucous fashion.
Now that everyone was shot full of rock n’ roll, the evening’s host Jonathan Toubin kept the dance party going to the early hours of the morning, spinning a lethal mix of early R&B cuts that are nearly impossible not to move your feet to. If you ain’t dancing when Toubin’s behind the turntables, you ain’t got no soul. Be on the lookout for the Soul Clap Dance Off rolling into a town near you as these events surely are not to be missed.
